Button



No. 626,744. Patented lune 13, I899. n. m. WINANS.

BUTTON.

(Application filed Ian. 28, 1898.)

(No Modal.)

Ya: norm: nt zns cu, Pno'rounm. WASNINGTON, 0. c4

. tures of the invention, as

UNITED v STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL M. WINANS, or BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK.

BUTTON.

sPEoIr'icA'noN forming part of Letters Patent no. 626,744, dated June 13, 1899.

Application filed January 28,1898. Serial No. 668,271.

(No model.)

To be whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL M. WVINANS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Binghamton, county of Broome, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buttons and Similar Articles, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to an improved fastener which is especially intended for use in buttons and similar devices consisting of a front and rear portion which are adapted to be attached to garments and the like by means of a shank carried by one of the portions and which passes through the fabric and is secured to the other portion, the especial object of the invention being to provide an improved button of this class which shall be simple and cheap of manufacture, while securing a firm and durable connection between the two portions of the button. I secure the desired result in accordance with the present invention by the use of a hollow shank having a tapering prong which is rolled inwardly in the operation of applying the button, so as to form an enlarged rolled head, which firmly secures the parts of the button together, this hollow shank, with the portion of the button that carries it, preferably being formed from a single blank of suitable shape to form a head and a cylindrical shank, and the other portion of the button is preferably provided with a cap having a concave surface opposite the shank, by which the prong is rolled inwardly as the parts of the button are forced together, although a button may be used without a cap and the prong rolled by a suitable surface on the die of the button-setting machine or handsetting device.

As a full understanding of the invention can best be given by a detailed description of a construction embodying the same, such a description will now be given in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention as applied in a construction of the preferred form and embodying all the feafully described and particularly claimed hereinafter.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank from which the head and shank of the fastener are preferably formed. Fig. 2 is a side view of the completed head and shank in the preferred form, looking toward the inner face of the prong. Fig. 3 is a view of the same, looking edgewise of the prong. Fig. 4.

is a longitudinal section of the head and shank,

taken centrally through the prong. Figs. 5 to 8 show successive positions in securing the parts of the button together with the front portionin its preferred form, with a cap for rolling the shank-prong. Fig. 5 is a section of the button, taken centrally through the prong and showing the shank passed through the fabric and just engaging the cap. Fig. 6 is a similar section showing the operation of securing the parts together farther advanced and the prong partially rolled. Fig. 7 is a similar section showing the operation of securing the parts together completed. Fig. 8 is a view looking to the right in Fig. 7, with the front portion of the button in section and the fastener in elevation.

Referring to said drawings, the front portion or head of the button is shown as consisting of a collet a and a cap or cover I), which parts may be made of metal or any other suitable material, the cap I? being secured to the collet ct by a common inwardly-bent flange, as shown, or in any other suitable manner. The collet a is provided with a central opening to receive the shank of the button, and the portion of the collet about the opening forms a socket having its sides inclined inwardly slightly, and this socket is extended to form the neck 1, which is of suitable shape to provide an extended side support for the shank and holding the parts firmly against sidewise looseness when the parts are secured together. The cap I) is provided with the inwardly-com cave central portion 2, which coacts with the prong of the shank, as hereinafter described. The other portion or back of the button is formed by the fastener, which consists of a head 0 and a hollow shank d, extending thereprong 3, ta-

from and shaped to form a long pering gradually from the body of the shank.

The head 0 and shank d, with the prong 3,

may be formed in any other suitable manner, while embodying the broader features of the invention; but I preferably form the head and shank from a single blank m of suitable form' as shown in Fig. 1, this blank having the tapering portion 10, which forms the shank d and prong 3, and the enlarged portion 11, which forms the head 0, which blank is rolled into the hollow cylindrical shank and the loottoin portion of the blank bent to form the head. The head and shank thus formed from the blank 93 may be used without any cover; but for strength and appearance I preferably apply over the flange 4, formed from the part 11, a cover 5, secured to the flange 4: by an inwardly-bent flange overlapping the latter, as shown in the drawings, or in any other suitable manner, this cover 5 holding the head and shank firmly in form and covering the slot, which would otherwise appear on the outside of the head. It will be understood, however, that this cover is not essential to the operation of the button and that the head 0 and shank d may be formed from a single piece or from two or more pieces in any suitable manner. The prong 3 is preferably tapered to such a point as to readily penetrate the fabric 3 which is shown double or provided with the lining y, so that it will not be necessary to punch the fabric before inserting the shank;

but the latter may readily be forced through the fabric. This is not essential, however, as the fabric may be punched before inserting the shank, as with many buttons of this general class now in use.

The operation of the construction in securing the parts together will be understood readily from a brief description in connection with Figs. 5 to 8. As the shank d is forced through the fabricy and into the head of the button the prong engages the concave portion 2 of the cap 1) upon one side of the center,as shown in Fig. 5, and as the parts are forced together is rolled inwardly by this concave portion 2, so as to form an enlarged head, and as it is rolled downward upon and into the cylindrical portion of the shank spreads the latter, so as to force the wall of ,the shank outward and lock the shank firmly in the neck 1 of the collet a. Of course the exact shape of the head formed by the rolled prong may vary to some extent; but the general operation and result are sufliciently illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8, from which it will be seen that the prong rolls and expands the shank, so as to form an enlarged head, from which the prong cannot be u-nrol'led through any pull tending to separate the parts of the button, and that the shank is firmly held in the collet a and neck 1. of the head formed by the prong and BX-, pansion of the shank. It will be understood, however, that the invention is not to be limited to a. construction in which the coacting parts are of exactly the form shown in Figs.

'5 to 8, but that the shank, prong, and socket may be varied in form, so as to vary the final result, while embodying the principle of my invention. It will be understood also that in button constructions I am not to be lim ited to the exact form or construction of the parts of the button shown, but that thesemay be varied.

I-t will be found in practice that this butthereto by a ton construction secures a very firm and strong permanent connection between the two partsof the button and that all danger of injury to the cap I) in applying the button is avoided, as a very little pressure is sufficient to roll the prong, while it resists any pull tending to unroll it. The fastener also is very simple and cheap of manufacture, especially in the preferred construction, in which the head 0 and shank d are formed from a single blank, as described.

As above stated, it is not essential to use the cap or cover I) of the front portion of the button; but the front portion of the button may consist simply in a button employing my improved fastener of a collet of suitable form without a cap, in which case the prong 3 will be rolled in securing the parts together by a die of suitable form in the machine or hand device, by which the parts of the button are forced together. The front portion of the button is preferably provided with a cap, however, so formed as to secure the proper action of the prong. The upsetting surface on the die or cap by which the prong is rolled is preferably concave, as shown and described; but the fastener-prong constructed as shown, so as to form an oblique section of a thin cylinder, offers very little resistance to bending inwardly and may be rolled by pressing against a flat surface; but the most certain and efficient action is secured by the concave surface.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited toaconstru'ction exactly the same as shown in the drawings or forming exactly the same enlarged head as illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8, but that the shank may be varied in form so as to vary the final result While employing the principle of my invention. It will be understood also that other methods of manufacture may be used in forming the fastener, and that while myimproved fastener is especially designed for use in connection with two-part buttons it is also of general application wherever a fastener enr bodying the principle of the invention may be employed.

WhatI claim is 1. A two-part article having one member provided with an opening and a socket about said opening, and the other member secured hollow shank passing through said opening and socket and having a tapering prong rolled inwardly within the shank, substantially as described.

2. A two-part article having one member provided with an opening and an inwardlytapering socket about said opening and the other member secured thereto by a hollow shank passing through said socket and having a tapering prong rolled inwardly within the shank and socket, substantially as described.

3. Thefastenerfortwo-partbuttons orsimi lar articles having an enlarged head and a hollow shank provided with a single prong on one side of the shank adapted to be rolled inwardly within the shank, substantially as described.

4:. The fastener for two-part buttons and similar articles having an enlarged head and a hollow shank provided with a single prong on one side of the shank adapted to be rolled inwardly within the shank,- said head and shank being formed from a single blank bent to the required form, substantially as described.

5. The fastener consisting of the hollow shank d having prong 3, adapted to be rolled inwardly within the shank-head flange 4 and the head-cover 5 secured to said flange, substantially as described.

6. Afastenerhavingahollowshankformed of a single piece of sheet metal bent to cylin- DANIEL M. WINANS.

Witnesses:

GERRY JoNEs, R. B. RICHARDS. 

